Beer coil drainage system



June 1, 1937. B BAKER 2,082,137

BEER COIL DRAINAGE SYSTEM Filed June 13, 1935 Patented June 1, 1937 w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEER con. DRAINAGE SYSTEM Burton W. Baker, Ventura, Calif. Application June 13', 1935, Serial'No; 26,459 1 Claim. (01. 225-12 7 This invention relates to the class of beverage dispensing and pertains particularly to beer dispensing apparatus. A

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel means of effecting the drainage of beer from a cooling coil in apparatus employed for the dispensing of keg beer, so that the beer will not lay in the coil for any period of time and thus become changed and unsalable.

In apparatus employed for dispensing beer from kegs, the beer is drawn or forced by the use of a compressed gas, such as carbon dioxide gas, through ice coils to the tap and some of the beer stays in the cooling coil after the dispenser has been shut down, as for example, at night or over week ends and before more beer can be drawn oif for sale that which has lain in the coil must be drawn off and thrown away as it acquires a bad taste and is unfit for use. The present apparatus aims to overcome this wastage by providing a means whereby the beer is caused to flow back from the coil into the keg so that when the coil is left idle for any length of time no beer will remain therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel coupling which may be used in association with standard fittings so that the invention may be applied to these fittings which are now in use without having to change or discard any parts thereof.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

Figure 1 is a view illustrating a conventional beer dispensing apparatus showing the invention applied thereto;

45 Figure 2 is a detailed view of a coupling forming a part of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate cor- 5 responding parts throughout the several views,

the numeral l indicates a beer keg having attached to the outlet in one end thereof a fitting which is indicated generally by the numeral 2, and which is of standard design, being at present 55 in use for admitting carbon dioxide gas under pressure into the upper part of the keg and for facilitating the conduction of beer from the keg to the usual iced coil 3 which leads to the drawoff faucet or tap 4.

The coupling 2 comprises a swivel portion 5, having means for facilitating its attachment to the keg l and the tube 6 to one end of which the coupling is connected, while its other end has a coupling 1 secured thereto. A lateral tubular arm 8 is joined to the tube 6 and forms apart of the coupling. In use, the coupling 1 connects the unit 2 with the ice coil 3, a valve 9 being interposed between the unit 2 and the coil 3 to facilitate detachment of the coil from the beer keg when the coil is to be cleaned.

The beer is forced from the keg l by means of compressed gas, such as carbon dioxide gas, which is supplied in a cylinder Hi. This gas flows from the cylinder through a control valve Hand a pipe I2 to the fitting or unit 2, usually by means of an ordinary swivel connection between the arm 8 and the tube l2. In the present instance, the tube I2 is connected with the arm 8 of the fitting 2 by means of the improved coupling unit l3 which comprises a short tube or pipe l4 having a coupling I5 at one end to facilitate its attachment to the arm 8 and having at its other end a slip nozzle l6, by means of which the tube I2, which is of rubber, may be quickly and detachably connected with the coupling. The improved coupling l3 has a lateral tubular arm I! joined at one end to the pipe 14 and having its other end connected with a valve l8 which in turn is connected with a pipe l9 which leads into the fitting 20 by which the ice coil 3 is coupled with the tap 4.

The present invention comprises essentially the addition to the standard equipment, which consists of the unit 2, the gas tank and connection with the unit 2, and the coil and faucet, of the coupling unit l3 and the valved pipe line leading therefrom to the fitting 20.

By this means it is possible to drain all beer from the coil 3 by opening the valve l8, which is kept closed while the beer dispensing apparatus is in use, so that the pressure of the gas which is employed to force the beer from the keg into the coil 3, will be equalized in the coil and in the pipe Hi. This will permit the beer to flow back from the coil into the keg and when the apparatus is again put into use, there will be no stale beer in the coil 3 to be drawn ofi and thrown away before the beverage can be served, it being necessary merely to close the valve I8 and open the tap 4 whereupon the beer will be forced through the tap from the coil 3 in the usual manner.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that with the present invention considerable saving of beer will be effected and also that it will be a very easy matter to drain the coil 3 when the same is to be cleaned, replaced or when any other work has to be done which requires the removal of the beer from this part of the dispensing apparatus.

It will also be noted that in carrying out the present invention no outside agent is employed and neither does it make use of pressure for removing the beer from the coil to the keg. The pressure in the coil is merely equalized so that the beer will flow back by gravity.

It is also important to note that afterthe coil is drained, the carbon dioxide gas will remain therein and this has a purifying action so that no bad tastes or odors will develop in the coil.

I claim:

In a beer dispensing system including a barrel attached fixture having a tubular body portion secured to the barrel and opening thereinto, a lateral tubular arm, a tube running through the body into the barrel and having a manually operated valve on its upper end, and a coil connected with the valved end of the tube and leading to a draft faucet; means for draining the coil comprising a coupling having a tubular body detachably connected at one end with said arm, a slip-nozzle at the other end thereof with which a'gas supply tube may be connected, a tubular arm leading from the side of the coupling body, a manually actuated valve at the end of the last arm, and a tube leading from said last valve and joining the coil adjacent the faucet, said two manually actuated valves constituting all of the valves associated with the draining means.

BURTON W. BAKER. 

